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I know you want to rush the passer and get after the quarterback but contain is your number 1 responsibility. You have to stay disciplined and play run first. In highschool, most teams are run orientated. A lot of teams try to run sweeps with best athlete and try to get him around the corner. As a DE or OLB who has contain responsibilities, it is not necessarily going to be a glorified position but it is vital to the defense. It's more important to stop the play from happening by keeping contain than it is to try to make the play by yourself and end up getting beat around the corner.

From a technical standpoint, don't take the OT or the FB head on. You take him on with your inside shoulder always keeping your outside hand free while still keeping your hips square to the line. That way, if they try to bounce it outside, you'll be in a postition where you can get off the block and make the play. If they try to cut it up inside of you, you drive your man inside and squeeze down but make sure you keep the same relationship with your outside hand free. If you take on the block square, the ball carrier can cut either way off you. When you play it the other way, you force him to make a decision. You want him to cut inside of you because that's where your help will be but if he tries to cut it out, you'll be able to make a big play.

I hope that helps. It's kind of tough to explain without actually showing you. Remember, always play run first, pass second. I know you want to get after the QB but keeping contain is your number one responsibility.

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I am going to get my coach to help me out once the weight room opens, the school is brand new and actually under construction still... I have also asked around if anyone new any trainers that would be willing to come to my house's gym for pay obviously and just train me.

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We are slow... its just freshmen and sophomores, thats the whole school.

I have been tripped once or twice in game, I manage to stay on my feet when I truck someone or try to get crack-backed, but a couple of times I have tripped on someone, but I also have played the last two days with a slightly pulled hamstring.

We'll i know my measurables at that age pretty well and if you wanna get recruited you need to get those up but thats quite easy to do with better technique. When i first had a decent running coach (not for track but just as part of the training) he managed to get almost a half second of my 100m sprint at the same age you are now. This translates to .2 on a 40 yard dash and maybe even more since most i learned was starting better.
But you can work on that starting speed (also same tech you need for cuts and stuff like that) pretty easy if you have a stopwatch and a parent willing to help you a lot.
Main advices in that part:
- Look that you keep your legs under your body, people tend to bounce their knees out a bit when taking off, it'll make sure you lose some of your power and kicking your knees out makes them more injury prone as well.
- Start with small enough strides in a sprint and start low enough.

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Seriously, nothing helped me play better than watching the best at work.

I'm going to have to disagree with you a bit here. Although it can never hurt to watch great players at your position, remember, pass rushers in the NFL are paid to get sacks. They get big money for playing solid against the run and keeping contain. They are there to get sacks. Obviously try to take somethings from guys like Ware, but as a highschool player, you don't want to emulate your game after his.

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I know you want to rush the passer and get after the quarterback but contain is your number 1 responsibility. You have to stay disciplined and play run first. In highschool, most teams are run orientated. A lot of teams try to run sweeps with best athlete and try to get him around the corner. As a DE or OLB who has contain responsibilities, it is not necessarily going to be a glorified position but it is vital to the defense. It's more important to stop the play from happening by keeping contain than it is to try to make the play by yourself and end up getting beat around the corner.

From a technical standpoint, don't take the OT or the FB head on. You take him on with your inside shoulder always keeping your outside hand free while still keeping your hips square to the line. That way, if they try to bounce it outside, you'll be in a postition where you can get off the block and make the play. If they try to cut it up inside of you, you drive your man inside and squeeze down but make sure you keep the same relationship with your outside hand free. If you take on the block square, the ball carrier can cut either way off you. When you play it the other way, you force him to make a decision. You want him to cut inside of you because that's where your help will be but if he tries to cut it out, you'll be able to make a big play.

I hope that helps. It's kind of tough to explain without actually showing you. Remember, always play run first, pass second. I know you want to get after the QB but keeping contain is your number one responsibility.

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because the most vital thing is... prevent them from breaking a big run.

if they get outside and turn the corner... there's not 7 boys trying to stop them... keep them inside... and get faster... it's easier to tackle someone by pushing them back inside than by letting them beat you on the outside and catching up to them. ESPECIALLY because you're not fast.

If you're faster than they are... Sure, it's less of an issue. But, you have to play technique and be in position at all times, don't over pursue. and stop drinking. it stunts your growth broski.

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Week 1 of not drinking has gone well I went out with friends but did no drinking.

Sniper my home gym is pretty good, the apartment's president's wife is near body builder status as a women, so she put all the stuff in their I am sure she has put together a solid but small gym over there.

Thanks a lot Tackle, that post really helped honestly. I guess I have been dying to make big plays, I have been nervous about not starting, I want to be noticed, the linebackers/d-line coach loves me and so does the d-coordinator. I think I over think, if I can just relax, be confident in my play, and most importantly have fun doing it... I think I can be great. Honestly, I think I am very raw I just need so get better mechanics and be more aware of my priorities.

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If it's just freshman and sophomores on your team, Malaka, then take a leadership role. Find a gym that's close to the school, and orchestrate workout sessions after school/weekends/days when you have no practice. Start off small with you and a few others, and if ya'll like it, start inviting more team mates. They'll have guys there who are trained and know what they're doing, and soon enough, it'll become a ritual for you guys. When you figure out what to do and how to do it, then you guys can hold workouts and lifting sessions at your school's weight room.